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AMHERST COLLEGE. 



X' 



A Petition was presented to the Legislature of 
Massachusetts, at their Session in June 1823, by Rev. 
Dr. Moore, Hon. John Hooker, and others, in behalf 
of the Trustees of Amherst Academy, — representing 
that the said Trustees had been entrusted with the 
funds of the Collegiate Institution at Amherst,— stat- 
ing the character and progress of the Institution, and 
requesting that the said Trustees might be invested 
with such corporate powers in relation to the Institu- 
tion as are usually given to the Trustees of Colleges. 
At the same Session of the Legislature a Memorial 
was presented from Subscribers of the Permanent Fund, 
^^"---^Kiu^h is the basis of the Institution, representing that 
!^ they had associated together for the purpose of found- 
-^ mg an Institution on principles of charity and benevo- 
^_^ lence for the instruction of youth in all the branches 
_^ of literature and science usually taught in Colleges,— 
stating that they had committed the management of 
their Fund to the Trustees of Amherst Academy, un- 
der whose direction the Institution had prospered be- 
yond their most sanguine expectations,— and praying 



that the request of said Trustees to be invested with 
College powers in relation to the Institution might be 



granted. 



The said Petition and Memorial were referred to a 
Joint Committee, consisting oi Hon. Sherman Leland, 
Hon. Benjamin Mams, Hon. JYathan J\oyes, Hon. Jon- 
athan Russell, Hon. Jairus Ware, Ebenezer Shillaber, 
Esq. and Pliny Cutler, Esq. Six of whom agreed in 
a Report in favor of the Petitioners having leave to 
bring in a Bill. 



Statement of Hon. Sherman Leland, Chairman of the 
Committee, to the Senate, June 9, 1823. 

The allegations of the Petitioners for Amherst 
College have been substantially supported, in the view 
of the Committee, who, I am happy to say, were 
nearly unanimous upon the subject. The Trustees of 
Amherst Academy have indeed received, in trust, a 
Subscription of a permanent Fund of ^50,000; which, 
according to the terms of subscription, is the ''■basis of 
a Literary Institution in Amherst for the instruction of 
youth in all the branches of literature and science usually 
taught in Colleges.'''' Upwards of ^44,000 of this sub- 
scription has already been secured by actual payment, 
or by notes, or bonds, to the satisfaction of the Over- 
seersj and most of the remainder, which still rests on 
the original Subscription, will probably be faithfully 
paid. According to the terms of subscription, five 
sixths of the interest of this permanent Fund is to be 
used, and has been hitherto used, in procuring the 
Classical instruction of hopefully pious and indigent 



young men, of different denominations, intended for the 
gosjDel ministry; and the other sixth of the interest is 

^-; to be added to the principal. The five sixth of the 
. interest, being thus appropriated, will, in fact, furnish, 

^ iH part, the support of the College Instructors. A 
new Subscription has been commenced, payable on 
condition that 1^30,000 shall be subscribed by the 
28th of the present month; which, judging from the 
advanced state of the Subscription, will unquestionably 
be done; so that the monied property at the disposal 
of the Trustees, if chartered, may be fairly estimated 
at nearly ^80,000. By the aid of other generous 
contributions, the Trustees have been enabled to 
erect two College Buildings of brick, each of them 
100 ft long, 40 wide, and four stories high, and a com- 
modious house for the President of the Institution, 
and to procure a Library of more than one thousand 
volumes, and also a Philosophical and a Chemical ap- 
paratus for the use of the Institution; all of which to- 
gether may be valued at ^30,000. For which, howev- 
er, and for other purposes, there is still due about 
^15,000; so that after the debts are paid; the monied 
funds of the Institution may be estimated at about 
^65,000, and the Buildings and other property at 
$30,000; making the whole amount of property be- 
longing to the Institution $95,000. — The income of 
these monied funds will pay the College bills of a large 
number of pious and indigent young, men: which in- 
come, together with the College bills of others, who 
are not charity students, will thus be sufficient to sup- 
port a competent number of able Instructors. 

A President, three Professors, and two Tutors have 
been appointed; all of whom have accepted their ap- 



4 

pointnients, and five of whom have entered on the du- 
ties of their office. The students, already 98 in num- 
ber, are pursuing precisely the same elevated course 
of study, which is pursued at Yale College — the study 
of the sciences, — not Theology. — The board of students, 
in respectable families, is Jrom one dollar to one dollar 
twenty-five cents a iceek; College bills, thirty dollars a 
year; and other necessary expenses about twenty dollars; 
so that the whole expense of a Collegiate education need 
not exceed one hundred dollars a year. 

The friends of this Institution and of the Common- 
wealth, now ask that it may be incorporated; not 
merely as a favor from government, but as a Right, 
which all free citizens, enjoying equal rights and priv- 
ileges, might, under similar circumstances, reasonably 
expect would be granted. These Subscribers and 
Donors surely had a perfect right to do as they have 
done; — they had a right to found this College; — they 
had a right to institute this elevated course of instruc- 
tion; and if so, the Authorities of the State are un- 
questionably bound to give them a Charter; — an int- 
strurnent acknowledging their Rights-, — which is all they 
ask for. 

But it is intimated that if this College is chartered, 
its prosperity may injure other Colleges; but this ar- 
gument is nothing, unless it can be shown that the in- 
terests of the Commonwealth will be injured. No per- 
son will pretend to believe, that a less numher\will be 
educated in the State, if this College is incorporated. 
And supposing that it should draw away some stu- 
dents, who would otherwise go to Cambridge; as very 
probably it may, if students can be educated in the 
pleasant town of Amherst, at about one third the ex 



pense of an education at Cambridge; there will even 
in this be a saving of so much to the Commonwealtho 
And there is no doubt, but that there will always be a 
sufficient number of gentlemen of opulence and splen- 
dor, who will choose to send their sons to Harvard 
College; so that it will continue to have as great a 
proportion of the students of the State, as can be de- 
sirable. It is peculiarly desirable, that flourishing In- 
stitutions of this kind should be so situated, that those 
in the middling walks of life, as well as others, may 
enjoy the advantages of them, and that intelligence 
and influence may be equally distributed throughout 
the Commonwealth. In regard to Williams College, 
its numbers are not yet diminished, as it appears, 
by the Institution at Amherst, and perhaps they never 
will be. The two Institutions now contain more than 
double the number that were in the habit of going to 
Williamstown, before the Institution at Amherst was 
established. At any rate, Williams College has very 
considerable funds, as it is stated, which will support 
it, even though its number of students should be di- 
minished; so that it will not "go doivn,''^ as it is said, 
but will probably continue to be useful. 

The Institution at Amherst has had many unneces- 
sary difficulties to encounter; it has had no charter 
under which to manage its funds — and no power of 
conferring degrees; still, on account of its peculiarly 
favourable situation, it has risen rapidly, and is at pres- 
ent flourishing; and will unquestionably prosper, and 
be eminently useftd, ivithont any pecuniary aid from the 
government. These statements are made, as an ex- 
pression of the result of the investigation, and views 
of the Committee. 



Certificate of the Treasurer. 

This certifies, that, (in addition to the sum of Fifty 
thousand Dollars, previously subscribed for a Perma- 
nent Fund, and in addition to many generous donations 
in materials, work, and money, towards the erection of 
College Buildings and a President's house,) the pro- 
posed Subscription of Thirty thousand Dollars, for the 
benefit of Amherst Collegiate Institution, which was 
commenced the 28th of June 1822, was completed in 
ene year from that date. JOHN LELAND, Jun. 

Treasurer of Amherst Collegiate Institution. 
Amherst, Dec. 31, 1823. 

Legacies. 

Since the last session of the Legislature the vener- 
able Dr. Moore has left to the Institution a residuary 
Legacy, which is valued at about $5,000. 

Mr. Adam Johnson has also bequeathed to the 
Institution about ;S5,000; the validity of which be- 
quest is to be tried before the Supreme Court and an 
impartial} nry. 

Relative Situation of Amherst College, 

Miles. 

Distance to Harvard University, East - 90 

" to Brown University, R. I. S. East 90 

" to Yale Coll. Con. South - - 90 

" to Union Coll. N. Y. West - 95 

« to Williams Coll. N. West - 55 

« to Dartmouth Coll. N. H. North 100 

« to the Western line of the State - 52 

" to the North line of the State - 30 

" to the South line of the State - 30 



The College is near the Centre of the old County of 
Hampshire, which, (according to the Catalogues of lfi23,^ 
furnishes 129 College Students; only 8 of whom are 
at Harvard, and 19 at Williams. 

Conveniences of Stages and Mails. 

A Mall-Stage, running between Hartford and Hano- 
ver, N. H. passes by the College every day of the 
week, except Sunday. A Mail-Stage, running between 
Boston and Albany, passes by the College 4 times a 
week; (which regulation commenced the 1st. of Jan. 
inst. 



TRUSTEES. 

Rev. Heman Humphrey, D. D. President. 
Rev. Joshua Crosby, Vice President, 
RuFus Graves, Esq. 

RUFUS COWLES, M. D. 

Rev. James Taylor, 

Nathaniel Smith, Esq. 
Rev. Experience Porter, 
Rev. John Fiske, 

Israel E. Traske, Esq. 

Elisha Billings, Esq. 
Rev. Daniel A. Clark, 
Hon. John Hooker, 
Rev. Joseph Vaill, 
Rev. Jonathan Going, 



John Leland, Jr. Esq. Treasurer^ 



OVERSEERS OF THE FUNDS. 

Henry Gray, Esq. 
Hon. Salem Towne, 

H. Wright Strong, Esq. 
Rev. Samuel Osgood, 
Rev. Theophilus Packard, 
Rev. Thomas Snell, 
Rev. Luther Sheldon, 



Rev. HEMAN HUMPHREY, D. D. S. T. P. 

President. 

Rev. GAMALIEL S. OLDS, A. M. 

Professor oj" Mathematics and JYatural Philosophy, 

JOSEPH ESTABROOK, A. M. 

Professor of Latin and Greek Languages. 

Rev. JONAS KING, A. M. 

. Professor of Oriental Literature; 
{to be absent for two pears.) 

ZENAS CLAPP, A. B. 

Tutor and Librarian. 

SAMUEL M. WORCESTER, A. R 

Tutor. 



Students. 

Senior Class - - - 19 

Junior Class - - - 29 

Sophomore Class - - 41 

Freshmen Class - - - ^7 



Total 126 



The following abstract is given from the last Catalogue 
of the Academy, to show that it is entirely distinct and 
separate from the College, about a quarter of a mile dis- 
tant, though under the care of the same Trustees. 

AMHERST ACADEMY, JVov. 1823. 

David Green, A. M. Preceptor. 

Ebenezer S. Snell, } /, . 

Ephraim EvELETH, I ■^''''">'>' instructors. 

Miss Hannah Shepard, Preceptress. 



Students in the Academy. 

In the Languages, - _ _ 59 

In English branches, - - 94 



Total, 153 



Females, 60. 



10 



Sketch of the Colleges^ in which JYew England Students 
are educated, taken from Catalogues of 1823. 



1823. Und 


ergraduates. 


From Mass. 


Harvard, 


267 


- 


192 


Williams, 


118 


- 


71 


In Harv. and Ws, 


385 


From Ms. 263 


Amherst, 


126 


- 


79 


Total in 3 Ms. Colli 


3.511 


From 


Ms. 342 


Yale, Conn. 


374 


- 


68 


Brown, R. I. 


154 


- 


94 


Bowdoin, Me. 


123 


- 


15 


Waterville, Me. 


34 


- 


5 


Dartmouth, N. H. 


141 


- 


- 21 


Middlebury, Vt. 


85 


- 


6 


Burlington, Vt. 


53 


- 





Union, N.Y. 


209 


- 


- 18 



Total, 1684 Total from Mass. 569 
Mass. students in Harvard and Williams, 263 

Mass. students in other Institutions, 306 

Mass. students in Amherst, 79 

Mass. students in other states, 227 

Thus it appears that out of the 569 students furnish- 
ed by Massachusetts, 306 (which is a very considerable 
majority,) choose to go to other Institutions, rather 
than to Harvard or Williams; (viz. 79 of them to Am- 
herst, and the remaining 227 to Colleges of other 
States;) which is a pWm demonstration, that public opin- 
ion calls for another incorporated College. 



11 



By subtracting 511, (the number in the three Col- 
leges of Massachusetts,) from 569, the number furnish- 
ed by the state, it appears that 58 go out of the statit 
more than what come in. for an education. 



In an Appendix to the last printed Catalogue of 
Yale College, the average amount of necessary expen- 
ses there, is stated to be from $150 to $200 a year, 
"without including apparel, pocket-money, travelling, 
and board in vacation." But supposing that these 58 
students who go out of Massachusetts more than what 
come in, expend for all purposes, each $200 a year; 
this amounts to $11,600 annual loss to the state. 

Connecticut. 

From an examination of the same Catalogues, it 
will appear that the state of Connecticut furnishes for 
the different Colleges only 226 students. But Yale 
College in that state contains 374; so that, (subtracting 
226 from 374,) it appears that 148 go into the state 
of Connecticut more than what go out of it, for an edu- 
cation. Which, (allowing that they expend, each 
$200 a year,) gives to Connecticut an annual income 
of $29,600, a very considerable part of which goes 
from Massachusetts. 

Rhode Island. 

From an examination of the same Catalogue, it will 
appear, that the State of Rhode Island furnishes for the 



12 

different Colleges oiilv 42 students. But Brown Uni- 
versity in that state contains 154 students; 94 of whom 
are from Massachusetts. Allowing that these 94 ex- 
pend in Rhode Island, for College bills, board, clothing, 
travelling, &;c., each ^150 a year; then Massachusetts 
is paying to that state a tax of $14,100 annually! 

As the above statements are taken from official doc- 
uments, it is not deemed necessary to add the signature 
of the writer; but if any one doubts their correctness, 
he may see and examine the Catalogues by referring 
to the Hon. Chairman of the Committee. 

In the foregoing remarks no disparagement of the 
Colleges of other states is intended; and it is hoped 
their only effect will be to excite a generous emulation. 
\i\s honor able to those states, that their Colleges are so 
situated and so managed, as to attract a muchgreater 
number of students than what are furnished by their 
population. But it is not honorable nov profitable to Mas- 
sachusetts, that 227 of her sons, are now obliged, from 
year to year, to go for an education to Colleges of 
other states, principally for want of a chartered Col- 
lege favorably located in the interior of this. And 
the men of other states will smile with astonishment 
at the impolicy o( our Government, should they refuse 
the simple privilege of a Charter to such a College, 
after it is in fact established, and furnished with spa- 
cious Buildings and large funds, in a place which all 
parties acknowledge to be peculiarly eligible. 

Let this rising Seminary have the honor of beij]g 
acknowledged by an impartial Legislature to be, what 



13 

it really is, — a College; so that students may receive 
the trifling honor of degrees; and who knows but 
these 227 students, who now go out of the state for 
education, and (at the low^ estimate of $150 each,) 
carry out $34,000 annually^ — who knows but that 
they may be retained, and honorably educated in the 
bosom of the most enlightened state on the face of the 
globe? 



Extract from the Remarks of Hon. Daniel Davis, So- 
licitor General of the Commonwealth, before the Joint 
Committee, June 5, ]823. 

Should the Legislature refuse to incorporate this 
Institution, it must be an exam|)le of illiberahty, un- 
precedented in the history of our country. To put the 
illiberalit}^, and injustice of such a refusal in a clear 
point of light, compare the o6j/"ec^ of this petition, with 
others for which charters are every year granted 
without hesitation. Let ten men in Boston, or in any 
other part of the State, associate together and collect 
a comuion Fund for the most mercenary and entirely 
selfish purposes, and ask for a charter, and it is almost 
universally granted as a matter of course. In this 
case, benevolent individuals, scattered in all parts of 
the State, many of whom are known to us as men of 
elevated character and distinguished worth, have as- 
sociated together and freely given their property, for 
the most heavenly purposes. They have founded a 
College, a leading object of which is to educate pious 
young men of all denominations for the ministry of the 
everlasting gospel; and the general object of which is 



14 

to furnish to all students the means of pursuing an ele- 
vated course of Classical education in a delightful part 
of the country, where the expense of living in good 
families,^ is one dollar, or one dollar and twenty-Jive cents a 
week, and no more. It is impossible to doubt the purity 
of their motives, or the importance and grandeur of 
their object. Most of the Subscribers and Donors can 
have no personal interest whatever in the success of 
the Institution. The Institution is founded in Chari- 
ty; — the son of the poorest peasant may here obtain an 
education of the highest order, and may become an 
instrument of God to save our State and perhaps our 
JYation. Is it the spirit of our government to dispar- 
age such Institutions? Will any man, after a clear un- 
derstanding of the case, come forward with the Con- 
stitution in his hand, and the oath of God on his con- 
science, binding him ^Ho cherish the interests of literature 
and the sciences, and all Seminaries of them,''^ and "?o 
encourage private societies and public Institutions^'' — will 
he deliberately refuse to encourage this Seminary? 
Will he say, the students shall not receive the privi- 
leges and honors, which are usually granted to others 
of the same standing in literary attainments? It is ab- 
surd to compare the policy of our government in re- 
gard to Colleges, with that of Europe, where not 
more than one third of the population can write their 
names. The character of our government and the 
spirit of our citizens, do not at present call for such 
Universities as Europe affords, where the rich only 
can afford the expense of education, and where many 
spend their lives in study or idleness, without any wish 
to become active or useful to the public. But activity 



15 

and skill in the learned professions, or in other useful 
employments, is what the spirit of our government and 
the genius of our country have a right to expect from 
men of College education; and to perpetuate our free 
government, and to elevate the character of Repub- 
licanism in the eyes of all nations, it is necessary that 
Colleges should be so situated and so multiplied, that 
the advantages of them may be enjoyed by some in 
all ranks of society. 

If it can be supposed that any individuals do indeed 
fear the too great p?'osperity of this Institution, it sure- 
ly becomes such persons especially, to avoid even the 
appearance of persecution; for such is human nature, 
that nothing could be more likely to ensure its tri- 
umphant success. 



In conclusion,^ — it is respectfully added, that the 
Trustees of Amherst have no controversy with the 
Trustees of Williams College, and that no reply to 
their Memorial is deemed necessary. While they 
stsitejacts, and thus demonstrate that public opinion as 
well as public interest calls for the incorporation of a 
new College; they only wish that Constitutional 
Rights may be enjoyed by all, and that the pubhc 
may be left free to say where they will extend their 
patronage. 



Boston, Jan. 1824. Printed by Crocker & Brewster. 



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